The noodles reached Gong Shaoyan’s stomach. That was when everything changed.
A warm, pure spiritual qi flowed through his meridians, spreading like a gentle tide washing over his body.
What the?!
Was this… food? Or was this some kind of disguised spiritual pill?!
He had eaten at Azure Mist Pavilion his entire life, feasting on the finest spirit beast meats, aged lotus roots, and top-grade ingredients.
But now? Compared to this, their so-called “delicacies” might as well be pig food.
Gong Shaoyan devoured the noodles. He didn’t just eat – he attacked the cup, chopsticks moving so fast they blurred. Every last strand of noodle, every drop of broth – gone. The cup was so clean it looked like it had never been used.
His mind blanked out. He entered an enlightenment state.
When he snapped back to reality, he gasped, checking his cultivation.
Second Stage of Saint Apprentice Realm!
“I broke through?!”
His chest swelled with pride. Hah! It must be because of my talent! He had finally proven he was a cultivation genius –
Wait.
His smile froze.
His face darkened.
No. It wasn’t his talent. It was the instant noodles.
The truth hit him harder than a divine tribulation.
He had spent a fortune on pills, trained for years to breakthrough, but a single cup of these noodles had done what all that effort couldn’t?
His stomach twisted. The pills, the rare ingredients, the countless resources – all useless compared to a cup of noodles?
“…”
This wasn’t just food. It was treasure.
And it only cost one crystal?
That was robbery. This should be at least 100 crystals! No, if this really guaranteed enlightenment, it should be worth thousands!
His mind worked fast. It couldn’t be the cooking method – pouring hot water wasn’t some mystical art. That meant the secret must be in the ingredients.
He had to find out.
Without hesitation, Gong Shaoyan grabbed ten cups of Chicken-Flavored Instant Noodles and rushed to the counter.
“I’m buying all of these!”
“You can only buy one of each product per day.”
Hao pointed at the board on the wall.
Gong Shaoyan’s gaze followed his finger.
Rule No. 1: Daily Limits Are Absolute. Each customer may purchase only one of each product per day. Greed is not tolerated.
“…Wha?”
His brain short-circuited.
Mo Xixi, standing beside Hao, was equally perplexed. This was her first time seeing this rule too.
’Wait… doesn’t this mean my employee benefits are insane?’
She could get three cups of instant noodles per day just by working here!
Meanwhile, Gong Shaoyan wasn’t taking this well.
“This rule is ridiculous!”
“What kind of merchant limits their own profits? If I want ten, you sell me ten! Simple!”
Hao didn’t react.
Gong Shaoyan clenched his fists. He had never been refused anything before. Never!
He looked for a loophole. If reasoning didn’t work, then –
“Fine!” He smirked, throwing out his final trump card.
“Name your price. I’ll pay whatever it takes!”
There it was. The ultimate young master move.
With the noodles’ miraculous effects and heavenly taste, Gong Shaoyan was convinced. This was the key to his rise in status.
If he brought this product back to the Azure Mist Pavilion, his standing would skyrocket. Maybe even the Pavilion Lord himself would take notice.
He could already picture it.
“Shaoyan, you’ve done a great service to the Pavilion.”
“With this discovery, our sect will reign supreme.”
“From now on, you shall hold the title of Elder.”
He smirked. That’s right. This was his golden ticket.
Unfortunately for him, reality had other plans.
“Rules Are Rules”
“No.”
Gong Shaoyan’s thoughts screeched to a halt. “What?”
“The rule won’t change. Come back tomorrow.”
His mouth twitched. His fingers clenched.
“Are you seriously refusing me? Did your forgot who am I?”
Hao shrugged. “A customer.”
Gong Shaoyan nearly exploded. A mere shopkeeper, a mortal, was talking to him like this?
Ridiculous. Completely ridiculous.
There was no way this man had made the noodles himself. No mortal could craft something this extraordinary.
That meant he must have stumbled upon the ingredients by accident.
A discovery he didn’t even understand. A lucky idiot sitting on a treasure trove, too stupid to know its worth.
Gong Shaoyan’s face darkened. Then I’ll just take it myself.
Boom!
A surge of spiritual qi exploded from Gong Shaoyan’s body. The air grew heavy. A pressure crashed down on the store.
“I was trying to be reasonable, but you forced my hand.”
“You’re a mere mortal. Do you really think you can deny me?”
Hao: “…”
Mo Xixi: “…”
’Should I just kill this fool?’ Mo Xixi wondered.
It would be easy. One move. Done.
But… she disagreed with that decision. She wasn’t part of the cult anymore.
She was a crew member of the Dimensional Convenience Store now. And technically… this guy was still a customer.
Or was he?
Gong Shaoyan didn’t even realize the danger. His greed had blinded his mind.
However, before he could even take a step, Hao’s voice rang out.
“That’s enough.”
Gong Shaoyan froze.
His eyes widened in horror. He could not move. He could not feel his spiritual qi.
It was gone.
Everything. His cultivation. His strength. Vanished.
He was no different from a crippled mortal.
His sword slipped from his fingers, clattering to the floor.
Hao turned to Mo Xixi. “Take care of this man, Little Xixi. Throw him out of the store.”
Mo Xixi had some expectation that her boss was strong.
But this?
This was beyond anything she had imagined.
With just a few words, Gong Shaoyan had been stripped of everything. His very foundation as a cultivator was gone in an instant.
She stole a glance at Hao, but his expression was the same as always. Calm. Unbothered.
This was power on another level.
She cracked her knuckles and grabbed Gong Shaoyan like a sack of grain.
“Gladly, boss.”
He wanted to struggle but could not escape Mo Xixi’s grip. She was already dragging him toward the exit.
Was this kid actually strong? No! She was just a mortal! The storekeeper must have done something to him!
Was this a side effect of the noodles?!
On the other side, Mo Xixi was practically beaming.
Yes! This was her boss!
Even if Gong Shaoyan held a high position in Sovereign City, who cared?
She had hesitated earlier, thinking it might bring trouble to her boss if she just killed the man. After all, Azure Mist Pavilion had deep connections in the city.